Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus.
Description of the Related Art
There have been ultrasound diagnosis apparatuses that emit ultrasound waves into a test object, receives waves (echo) reflected from the inside of the test object, and performs predetermined signal data processing, to examine the inner structure of the test object. Such ultrasound diagnosis apparatuses are widely used for various purposes such as medical examinations, treatment, and examinations of the insides of architectural structures.
An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus is used not only to process the data of obtained reflected waves and display an image, but also to collect samples of specific sites (targets) in a test object, release water or the like, or inject and leave a medicinal agent or a marker at a specific site. Such an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus is used in a case where the puncture needle to be used for the above purposes is inserted toward the position of a target while the user is visually checking the puncture needle and the position of the target. With the use of such an ultrasound image, treatment for the target in the test object can be promptly and accurately performed with ease.
However, a puncture needle is normally very thin, and is inserted obliquely into a test object. Therefore, the ultrasound waves that vertically enter the test object are not sufficiently reflected in the transmission/reception direction of the ultrasound waves. Particularly, in the vicinity of the edge of the puncture needle, ultrasound waves are easily scattered. As a result, the puncture needle is not clearly shown in an ultrasound image, and it is difficult: for the user to visually recognize the puncture needle in the ultrasound image.
To counter this problem, various techniques have been developed for enabling users to see a puncture needle more clearly. One of these techniques is a technique of detecting a puncture needle by analyzing an ultrasound image, and emphasizing the puncture needle in the ultrasound image. JP 5473853 B1 discloses a technique of performing a puncture needle emphasizing process by obtaining information about the insertion direction of a puncture needle, and using a filter for emphasizing the edge of the luminance existing in the insertion direction in an ultrasound image. JP 5486449 B1 discloses a technique of identifying the edge of a puncture needle by extracting a high-luminance region in the form of a straight line from an ultrasound image, and identifying the point where the luminance on the straight line becomes higher for the first time from the low-luminance edge side,
In a case where the position of the edge of a puncture needle is detected based on the luminance distribution on an identified straight line, however, a completely wrong position is detected as the edge position, if there is noise on the straight line or there is some other structure that reflects ultrasound waves. As a result, the user inappropriately obtains information about the wrong position, and is likely to have a problem. Meanwhile, in a case where the position of the edge of a puncture needle is identified by some other method, the trouble needs to be taken to prepare another structure and perform additional image processing.